Shots from trip to Kuching, and the Story of how I saw the Rafflesia

As promised some shots from our recent trip back to Kuching. Hope you enjoy the pictures and stories.

Here's some from the Sarawak CUltural Village It's a place where you get to experience a bit of the ethnic diversity found in Sarawak. The children really enjoyed this place. They tried all sorts of ethnic musical instruments...tasted diff goodies, and Nel even went up on stage to dance the native dance and you'll see in one of the pictures, she got dressed up like them too. :)

One of the houses...Bidayuh i think?

a native lady showing us how weaving is done.

It was drizzling while we were there....


what used to be a headhunter's house



Man playing the Sape. I SO want to get, buy one of it, but the man said, the ones he had were booked already. Sigh...perhaps next time.

See all these half made sapes? fully booked. The shop outside only sells souvenir ones. I would like to get a real one. He said to try on my next trip. Fingers crossed, I'll be the proud owner of one next time.

My little Nel, all dressed up in native costume. She looked beautiful. :)

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Here's some shots from the town of Sematan, almost at the tip of West Sarawak (about 3 hours drive from Kuching.) A really sleep little town with hardly anything except for a row of shop houses and REALLY cheap seafood. Well, there are also private chalets, isolated peaceful beaches, pepper farms and padi fields. A piece of heavenly tranquil on earth.

the only row of shops we saw there

Heavenly seafood for very very cheap. Half of what we pay in town.

Tranquility.... not a soul in sight except us....and the sand flies. haha...

The Red House... by a beach near Lunduk
Nel...my free spirited girl...running by the waters...into the sunset...

Here's some from Gunung Gading National Park located near the town of Lunduk, about 2 hours from Kuching. This is a park famous for the growth of the very rare Rafflesia flower. However, the Rafflesia is not always in bloom, and if they do, it only lasts for a week. I've a story to tell here.

We hiked 2 hours in the thick, humid rainforest only to face disappoinment. Not a Rafflesia in sight. Park rangers, said there was none in bloom. :( We even risked crossing a no entry sign to walk the Rafflesia route which was closed for repair of broken boards. I've to say, my kids were WONDERFUL. They walked those hours with us, Jo was carried every now and then when it got a little too dangerous. Finally, we decided, it was getting dark, thus time to head home. I refused to give up, and in desperation prayed "God, I came here..to see the beautiful Rafflesia... Please, let me see, just one. Amen."

I finished saying that prayer, and 2 seconds later, these 2 burly men with tatoo all over their bodies appeared. They looked at me and asked "enjoying your hike?" I replied "...well, I came to see the Rafflesia, and didn't see any." They replied "We know where there is one!"

I jumped in excitement and said "I'll follow you!" 5 minutes into the walk, I began to wonder if they were robbers or something...even my husband started wondering...... 10 mins passed, then they showed us a narrow trail off the main one. I began worrying a little. Then they man said "here it is!" I followed, looked behind a large tree, and there it was. :) A medium sized one....about 6 days old...but that man who showed us the way, wanted to move some sticks and he broke some of the petals!! grrr...... still I thanked him profusely...and was just so overjoyed at the sight of the Rafflesia. It's amazing how God answers simple prayers. :)

In the forbidden path. No one in sight, except us...me, my hubby, children, niece and nephew. We were looking for the Rafflesia.

Nel had watched Tarzan and asked if she could one day climb a vine. this one was PERFECT for climbing and so she climbed. :)

One of the many beautiful waterfalls found in this park. There are altogether 7 waterfalls in this park.

A Rafflesia bud which the men showed us. The rafflesia takes 9 months to bloom! and when it blooms, it starts decaying within 7 days.

The Rafflesia that took my breath away coz I was just so thrilled and overjoyed at finding one.

Me and the Rafflesia. As mentioned...petals broken by the careless men. *sigh* Nevertheless...still beautiful in my eyes.

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Kuching Town. Padungan Street, famous for it's Chinese New Year sales of flowers, fresh fruits, etc etc etc.

Nectarines and Peaches! Though expensive, i had no choice but to buy them. The temptation was unbearable. I just LOVE nectarines.

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Chinese New Year. As usual, the crazy, deafening, bombing sounds of fireworks, fire crackers and fire "bombs" and thick smoke permeated the air....to almost an unbearable level on New Year's eve.

New Year's day was "happening" with an endless stream of people visiting the house, angpows, lion dances, gambling (for some) and EATING.

The lion dance troupe. I took this shot from upstairs. here's the young boy, checking ME out. haha...
The lion dance that Nel found intriguing and entertaining. However, Jo thought otherwise, when she told me "mum, carry me, run, lion coming!!!!" I had to show her later, how they were only people inside... I suppose the music itself is already scary.

Lion dance in the house.
Well that's it for this album. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. :)

oh yeah, there were several other places which we visited like the Semenggok Orang Utan Sanctuary. That was nice when the kids saw the orang utans swinging HIGH up in the trees, and then directly above us!

We also found a famous seafood Kolo Mee restaurant. All fishballs handmade, as in, the lady used her hands to make them. Umm...seeing her make these fishballs, certainly made the noodles suddenly seem less appetizing. It's the way she was squishing them out of her palms.

Finally.........the time spent together as family was the best part of the whole trip. Also time for my children to be free...to experience nature as it is helps them appreciate the mighty God who created all things. :)